Spar to open first cash register-free supermarket on Wednesday

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Spar will operate the first cash register-free supermarket in the Netherlands on Wednesday when it launches its ‘Skippen‘ system at its branch on Utrecht’s hbo college campus.

Shoppers will walk in, scan their purchases with their telephone, pay with ABN Amro’s payments services Tikkie and walk out without going to a cash register, the Financieele Dagblad said.

The aim of a cashless store, the paper says, is not only cost savings but also to get the customer in and out of the store as quickly as possible. Several retail chains in the Netherlands, such as Marqt supermarkets and Vlaamsch Broodhuys bakery group, already refuse to accept cash.

Many supermarkets already have ‘card only’ tills or customer-scan check-outs in combination with regular cash registers.

Experiments

Albert Heijn has one in a convenience store at its Zaandam headquarters where payment is automatic, with either an android phone or a special pass.

‘The trial is a success,’ says AH to go director Jan-Willem Dockheer. ‘Fast transactions means that people come more frequently and spend more. The shopper who is really in a hurry doesn’t need three minutes, 20 seconds will do.’

That new system will be operational in all 80 AH to go outlets this summer. The Spar experiment is part of the Spar University project, which operates nine stores on university and college campuses.

‘We can offer customers better deals,’ says Erwin Binneveld who is charge of the cashless concept. Customers will also be targeted with information about allergens or other useful facts about their purchases, he said. (DutchNews)